The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has announced that the annual Bar Practicing Fee (BPF) for lawyers enrolled at the Supreme Court of Nigeria is now due for payment. The payment window opened on January 1, 2025, and will close on March 31, 2025.

In a statement released by the NBA General Secretary, Dr. Mobolaji Ojibara, the association emphasized the importance of prompt payment and highlighted the numerous benefits that come with it. These benefits include insurance coverage from Leadway Assurance Scheme, access to healthcare privileges under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), eligibility to apply for Notary Public status and the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) rank, participation in NBA and Branch elections, and obtaining a letter of good standing.

The BPF fees vary based on the number of years post-call, with Senior Advocates and Honorable Benchers paying ₦50,000, lawyers with 15+ years post-call paying ₦25,000, those with 10-14 years paying ₦17,500, 5-9 years paying ₦10,000, and 1-4 years paying ₦5,000.

Payments must be made through the NBA Portal, and both individual and group payment options are available. For individual payments, lawyers are required to log in to the portal using their enrollment number, email address, and password, click on “Payment,” select “BPF Payment,” and follow the prompts to complete the transaction. Group payments can be initiated by adding up to 25 members’ enrollment numbers, with receipts sent to all individual emails and the initiator’s email.

The NBA has also provided contact information for inquiries or assistance, with Blessing (National Treasurer), Ezekiel, and Bayo available between 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM.

Dr. Ojibara concluded the statement by encouraging lawyers to make their BPF payments promptly to continue enjoying the privileges and benefits of the legal profession, wishing them a productive and fulfilling year ahead.